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Islands of Indonesia

Komodo Dragons & Krakatoa (Singapore to Darwin), 18 Nights

Overview

Itinerary

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Explore the Indonesian archipelago

For the ultimate expedition through Indonesia, look no further. Begin in Singapore and leisurely voyage through the volcanic and wildly beautiful islands of Indonesia. Along the way, you enjoy the wide diversity of culture, wildlife and landscape. Enjoy the warmth and welcome of Belitung, and climb the black volcano of Krakatoa. See the wildlife, including orangutans, native deer, Komodo Dragons, and Java rhinoceros at the national parks of Ujung Kulon, Komodo, and Tanjung Puting. Visit thriving historical cities, traditional markets and see demonstrations of ancestral crafts at Banjarmasin, Maumere, and the bustling city of Sumenep. In between, snorkel over stunning coral reefs and relax on white sand beaches. This journey shows you the best of Indonesia from the comfort of the Coral Adventurer.

Expedition highlights:
• Snorkel and dive with incomparable coral and sea life at numerous sites
• Seek to spot endangered species at Ujung Kulon National Park and Tanjung Puting
• Hike on the still active Anak Krakatau
• View the famed dragons at heritage-listed Komodo National Park
• See the floating markets of Banjarmasin
• Walk on the volcanic sands of the extinct crater at Satonda

Related Information

the itinerary

Embarkation: Board in Singapore at 4:30pm for 6:00pm departure.Disembarkation: Arrive and disembark at Darwin’s Fort Hill Wharf at 10:00am.

Day 1: Singapore

Guests are welcomed to board Coral Adventurer at 4:30pm and will then depart Singapore at 6:00pm. During pre-dinner drinks the briefing for tomorrow’s activity will be conducted by our Expedition Leader.

Day 2: At Sea

There will be presentations today, and guests will be informed of the itinerary, safety procedures and protocols while visiting Indonesia. In the evening, enjoy the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party. Dinner will be followed by a presentation on Indonesia to prepare you for your exciting journey ahead.

Day 3: Lengkuas Island, Belitung

Lengkuas Island, Belitung is a very pretty little island with a lighthouse. Guests can climb all the way to the top and be accorded a beautiful view. Visit a local eatery and be welcomed by local dancers. Rock-hop ‘painted beach boulders’ and explore undeveloped beachfront. The warmth of the locals and the beautiful idyllic setting is how we say hello to Indonesia

Day 4: HMAS Perth & Krakatoa

We arrive at midday to pay homage to HMAS Perth. Our senior master Captain Gary will host a remembrance service for HMAS Perth with the Coral Adventurer positioned over the place where the HMAS Perth was torpedoed in the 1942 Battle of Sunda Strait. This afternoon, we continue on to Krakatoa.

Day 5: Krakatoa & Ujung Kulon

Krakatau (Krakatoa) is a black volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. The name is used for the island group, the main island, and the volcano as a whole. It has erupted repeatedly, massively, and with disastrous consequences throughout recorded history. The best-known eruption culminated in a series of massive explosions on August 26-27, 1883, which were among the most violent volcanic events in modern times. The sound of the explosion was heard as far away as Alice Springs, in Central Australia; fine ash reached as far as New York City, while the resultant tidal waves which caused complete destruction in the surrounding coastal areas. Despite the devastating effects, the disappearance of the gigantic Krakatoa also meant the birth of small islands in its place, including the present Anak Krakatau (Son of Krakatoa). From both West Java’s west coast, and from Sumatra’s Lampung Province, this young and very active volcano is clearly visible. Today the volcano is under 24-hour visual and electronic surveillance from Java. Here guests can climb up Anak Krakatau and also enjoy water activities.

Day 6: Ujung Kulon

Ujung Kulon, one of Indonesia’s best known national parks, lies on the island of Java. It is one of the last remaining natural forests on Java and one of very few areas offering a profile of sea-shore to mountain top tropical vegetation. The beautiful isolated beaches that cover the coastline are among Ujung Kulon’s best-kept secrets. While snorkelling, it is spectacular to see the variety of tropical fish in the clear blue crystal water.
The park holds well over 700 species of plant life, of which 57 are classified as rare. The rocky shores, mangrove swamps, mud flats, sea grass beds, coral reefs and sea trenches provide diverse and fascinating insights into the underwater world. Ujung Kulon is also home to the highly endangered Java rhinoceros. This park remains a pristine haven of nature although Java is one of the most densely populated islands in the world. Our guests will be exploring the National Park with local guides.

Day 7: At Sea

Following the sails of the ancient mariners, we cross the vast Java Sea to reach the third biggest island in the world, Borneo. Our next stop is the Tanjung Puting National Park.

Day 8 & Day 9: Tanjung Puting

We arrive at Tanjung Puting National Park just after midday and we proceed to hop on traditional klotoks to cruise upriver and see the critically endangered Orang Utans at Pondok Tanggui – an orangutan rehabilitation and release center. We will walk through the tropical rainforest to observe and explore the ecological flora and fauna of Kalimantan, include wildlife and the exotic tropical plants. Join the feeding time at Pondok Tanggui and Pesalat. There is also the opportunity to hike through the jungle, and perhaps see some of the animals in the wild, including Proboscis Monkeys as well as long tailed Macaques.

Be prepared for a slightly more adventurous few days, as this area is largely unsophisticated.

Day 10 & Day 11: Banjarmasin

Today we explore Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. It rests over a labyrinth of canals, thus giving it it’s illustrious nickname as the city of a thousand rivers.

The daily lives of the Banjarese are intrinsically linked to the waterways on which they live, work and play. Traditional floating homes called “lanting” are built on stilts over the water, and vessels of all shapes and sizes ply the waterways.

This is one reason why there are floating markets everywhere. From daybreak boats come from villages around the rivers, bringing vegetables, fruits and other daily needs and household utensils. Buyers and sellers come to the market in small boats and close their transactions on the water. The best time to see market in action is in the early morning.

There is also the Sultan Suriansyah Mosque, the first mosque built in South Kalimantan and the location of the royal tombs. Another fascinating structure is the Museum Waja Sampai Ka Puting, which houses some of the historical collections of the struggle against Dutch colonialism. The building of the Museum itself is an old and genuine Banjarese traditional house in the “Bubungan Tinggi” style.

Day 12: Sumenep

Sumenep is Madura Island’s most interesting town, situated just north of the eastern tip of Java. The history, culture and architecture of Sumenep can be seen in the Palace/Kraton Museum (such as a 500kg hand-written Quran), which include relics of the Hindu kingdoms.
Explore the historic Sumenep Palace and the museum. Marvel at Sumenep Jamik Mosque with its distinctive architecture. Visit Kalianget Old Town, with its relics of a salt factory, and colonial architecture built by the colonial Dutch government. Sumenep Square is a well-presented park, Taman Adipura, a horticulturalist’s delight; and the night markets provide a wide range of culinary specialties. Visitors can obtain fine batik cloth, wood carvings, Dutch antiques – browsing through shops and stalls is fascinating.

Day 13: Satonda Island

Satonda Island is a small un-inhabited volcanic island off the north coast of Sumbawa, separated by a narrow strait from Tambora, the site of the largest and most devastating volcanic eruption in human history. In 1815 Tambora erupted expelling into the atmosphere twice as much material as the later Krakatoa in 1833. For the small island of Satonda, there is a lasting effect. The eruption was so great that it breached the rim of Satonda crater and dumped millions of gallons of sea water there, leaving the crater lake filled with salt-water instead of fresh. Satonda’s beach is remarkable because a major portion of its sediment consists of pebbles of pumice – a foamy volcanic glass, so light that it floats on water. This hidden gem offers quiet nature walk, some pristine white beaches, wonderful snorkelling, and birdwatching.

Day 14: Komodo Island

We awake at Komodo Island. The main attraction here is of course the ancient Dragons! Guests will enjoy a walk on Komodo to have the opportunity to see the Dragons and afterwards enjoy snorkelling or swimming from the famous Pink Beach.

Day 15: Rinca Island

Enjoy a morning nature walk at Rinca Island (part of the Komodo Islands). Guests will have a choice of short, medium or a longer trek to encounter the Dragons once more. The Lookout on top of the hill is stunning and offers an invigorating climb. In the afternoon, we may visit a local village on the island.

Day 16: Maumere

Maumere is located in Flores Island, which is known for its active volcanoes, fascinating indigenous cultures, hand woven textiles, and its coral reefs which offer spectacular diving and snorkelling.

Watublapi is a traditional weaving village located on the hills on the southern coast of Maumere. Weavers here still use the traditional handspun yarn made out of local cotton as well as natural dyes. Here we will observe weaving demonstrations of preparing the cotton and using traditional ikat techniques. We will also enjoy musical and bamboo pole dancing in the very natural and beautiful jungle setting of the village. Some beautiful selections of ikat textiles as well as local crafts are on display for sale.

See the old The old Catholic church of Sikka which reflects the Portuguese influence in Flores, and the Alok traditional market. This is a colorful, crowded, and friendly place to visit where local women can be seen weaving their rustic bamboo mats, and everyday items to unusual goods can be seen and sampled.

Day 17: Dili

Say hello to Timor Leste. As we sail into Dili Harbour, the landmark statue of Christo Rei will come into sight. Immigration and custom clearance will take place this morning, and once cleared we are free to start touring Dili. Guests are welcome to climb the stairs to the Christo Rei Statue (it is quite a climb), or visit the food and handicrafts markets. This is an opportunity to interact with locals, as well as being a photographer’s dream.

Day 18: At Sea

As we cross the Arafura Sea, guests can recap their adventures on this trip with photo sharing and attend final lectures by our Expedition leaders. In the evening, enjoy the Captain’s Farewell Drinks.

Day 19: Darwin

Coral Adventurer will arrive into Darwin at 8:30am, and guests will disembark and clear customs.

This itinerary is an indication of the destinations we visit and activities on offer. Throughout the expedition we may make changes to the itinerary as necessary to maximise your expeditionary experience. Allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel.

Services of expedition staff and lecturers including briefings and knowledge-sharing sessions

Port taxes and government charges imposed by government authorities

Your cruise price does not include:

Pre and post flights, transfers and hotels

Entry visas/travel permits

Travel Insurance

Items of a personal nature including but not limited to phone and internet communications and bar charges (outside of the included drinks package as highlighted), laundry charges and souvenir purchases

Tipping not required:

Other cruise lines automatically add gratuities to your account and service charges to your bar invoices. On Coral Discoverer, our crew has no other agenda than your delight.

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TRAVEL INSURANCE

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SureSave, is an Australian company who specialise in travel insurance designed for travellers. SureSave provides world assistance through a customer support team, a claims team and an in-house 24/7 Emergency Assistance division. Underwritten by Lloyds of London, you get peace of mind knowing your security is guaranteed.

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